Jiangsu is a coastal province in eastern China, on the northern side of the Yangtze River Delta and the Yellow Sea. It is one of China's wealthiest and most densely populated provinces, anchored by the capital Nanjing and by Suzhou, the province's largest city, whose classical gardens are UNESCO-listed. Jiangsu is celebrated for its canal-laced water towns, Grand Canal heritage, Taihu Lake, and refined Huaiyang and Jiangnan cuisine.
- Public
- Jiangsu sits on the Beijing-Shanghai and Shanghai-Nanjing high-speed corridors, so Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Changzhou, Wuxi and Suzhou are linked by frequent G-series trains, and most large cities run metro systems
- Taxi
- Metered taxis are plentiful and inexpensive in Nanjing, Suzhou and Wuxi, though the DiDi ride-hailing app is usually cheaper and easier for foreign visitors once linked to Alipay or an international card
- Rental
- Self-drive rental is legally difficult for foreign visitors because a Chinese driving licence or a converted permit is required; trains, metro, DiDi and hired cars with drivers cover nearly every itinerary
- Walking
- Historic cores such as Suzhou's Pingjiang Road, Nanjing's Confucius Temple area and Yangzhou's old town are walkable, but distances between sights are large and metro or DiDi is needed for longer hops
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 5/5
- Taxi
- 4/5
- Rental
- 2/5
- Walking
- 3/5
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Nanjing
- Metro
- Nanjing Metro has more than 10 lines including Line 1 (Nanjing South to Olympic Sports Center via Xinjiekou), Line 3 and the airport-serving Line S1; single-ride fares run CNY 2-9 (about USD 0.30-1.34) depending on distance
- Buses
- Extensive city bus network with fixed fares of CNY 2 (about USD 0.30) on most lines
- Didi taxi
- DiDi and metered taxis are widely available; flagfall in central Nanjing is about CNY 11 (about USD 1.64)
- Public bikes
- Shared bikes (Meituan, Hello) are found across the city and unlock via Alipay or WeChat QR codes
- Walking
- The Confucius Temple, Presidential Palace and Xuanwu Lake shores are flat and enjoyable on foot
Suzhou
- Metro
- Suzhou Rail Transit runs Lines 1-5 and S1, with Line 1 crossing the old city; fares run CNY 2-8 (about USD 0.30-1.19)
- Buses
- City buses and tourist lines cover the main garden areas; walking and DiDi are usually faster in the old city
- Didi taxi
- DiDi and taxis are cheap; flagfall is about CNY 11 (about USD 1.64)
- Public bikes
- Shared bikes work well for Pingjiang Road and the Jinji Lake cycling paths
- Walking
- Pingjiang Road, Shantang Street and the garden district are compact and walkable
Wuxi
- Metro
- Wuxi Metro lines link Wuxi Station, Wuxi East and parts of the Taihu lake area; fares run CNY 2-7 (about USD 0.30-1.04)
- Buses
- City buses and tourist lines reach Yuantouzhu and Lingshan
- Didi taxi
- DiDi and taxis are widely available and cheap
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Overview
- Metered taxis carry a roof light; flagfall in Nanjing, Suzhou and Wuxi is about CNY 11-13 (about USD 1.64-1.94).
- Typical Fares
- Tips
- Use DiDi rather than hailing on the street; the app shows the fare upfront, Show the destination name in Chinese characters or on the app; drivers rarely speak English, Foreign cards are not always accepted by drivers; QR payment is usual
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Overview
Jiangsu is crossed by the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway (Xuzhou East, Nanjing South, Zhenjiang South, Changzhou North, Wuxi East, Suzhou North) and the Shanghai-Nanjing intercity line (Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, Nanjing). Trains from Nanjing reach Shanghai in about 1-1.5 hours, and Beijing in around 3.5-4.5 hours.
Trains
- From
- Nanjing South
- To
- Shanghai Hongqiao
- Duration
- About 1 h - 1 h 30 min
- Frequency
- Every 5-10 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 134-145 (about USD 20.00-21.64)
- Train type
- G-series high-speed
- From
- Nanjing South
- To
- Suzhou
- Duration
- About 1 h - 1 h 15 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 95-110 (about USD 14.18-16.42)
- Train type
- G-series high-speed
- From
- Nanjing South
- To
- Wuxi East
- Duration
- About 55-75 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 80-95 (about USD 11.94-14.18)
- Train type
- G-series high-speed
- From
- Nanjing
- To
- Zhenjiang
- Duration
- About 25-40 min
- Frequency
- Every 10-15 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 30-45 (about USD 4.48-6.72)
- Train type
- G-series high-speed
- From
- Suzhou
- To
- Shanghai Hongqiao
- Duration
- About 25-35 min
- Frequency
- Every 5-10 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 35-45 (about USD 5.22-6.72)
- Train type
- G-series high-speed
- From
- Suzhou
- To
- Wuxi
- Duration
- About 10-20 min
- Frequency
- Every 5-10 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 20-30 (about USD 2.99-4.48)
- Train type
- G-series high-speed
- From
- Nanjing South
- To
- Beijing South
- Duration
- About 3.5-4.5 hours
- Frequency
- Every 10-15 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 443-480 (about USD 66.12-71.64)
- Train type
- G-series high-speed
- From
- Nanjing South
- To
- Hangzhou East
- Duration
- About 1 h - 1 h 30 min
- Frequency
- Every 15-20 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 120-140 (about USD 17.91-20.90)
- Train type
- G-series high-speed
Buses
- Route
- Suzhou North Bus Station to Zhouzhuang
- Duration
- About 70-90 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 25-35 (about USD 3.73-5.22)
- Route
- Suzhou Station to Tongli
- Duration
- About 60-80 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 10-20 (about USD 1.49-2.99)
- Route
- Wuxi Railway Station to Lingshan Grand Buddha
- Duration
- About 60-75 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 5-10 (about USD 0.75-1.49)
- Route
- Nanjing to Yangzhou (intercity coach)
- Duration
- About 80-100 minutes
- Cost
- CNY 35-55 (about USD 5.22-8.21)
Booking
Book on the official 12306 app or Trip.com, both accept foreign passports and issue e-tickets; tickets can also be bought at station counters and self-service machines with a passport. Sales open about 15 days ahead.
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Jiangsu is one of China's best-connected provinces, with Nanjing as the capital and a high-speed rail corridor to Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou. Nanjing Lukou (NKG) is the primary international gateway, while Suzhou relies on Shanghai's airports and Wuxi's Shuofang Airport (WUX). Metro, DiDi ride-hailing and buses cover the cities, and self-drive rental is impractical for most foreign visitors.
Airports
Nanjing Lukou International Airport
Wuxi Sunan Shuofang International Airport
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Nantong Xingdong International Airport
Xuzhou Guanyin International Airport
Changzhou Benniu Airport
Yancheng Nanyang International Airport
Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport
Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport
Huai'an Lianshui International Airport
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
12306
Trip.com
DiDi
Amap (Gaode Maps)
Alipay / WeChat Pay
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Buy high-speed rail tickets on the official 12306 app or through Trip.com, which accept foreign passports; the passport is scanned at the station gate in place of a paper ticket
Arrive at Nanjing South, Suzhou or Wuxi stations 40-60 minutes before departure because security and passport checks create queues at peak times
Set up Alipay (with the Tour Pass or an international card) or WeChat Pay before arrival; metro gates, buses, shared bikes and taxis all use QR-code payment and cash is often refused
Download DiDi and Amap (Gaode Maps) before arrival; Google Maps is unreliable in mainland China and Amap gives accurate metro and bus routing
Nanjing South, Wuxi East and Suzhou North stations are often a long way from the historic centers, so a metro or DiDi transfer of 20-40 minutes should be built into the timetable
Suzhou has no scheduled commercial airport of its own; most visitors fly into Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) or Pudong (PVG) and continue by high-speed train in 25-40 minutes
Carry the passport at all times; it is required for rail tickets, some attraction entries and hotel check-in throughout Jiangsu
Many sights use timed online reservations, so popular entries (Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Nanjing Museum, Suzhou Museum) should be booked a few days ahead via the venue's WeChat mini-program or Trip.com